This application claims the priority of German patent document 199 33 676.4, filed Jul. 17, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a steering arrangement for a motor vehicle having a steering column tube which is arranged in a steering-wheel-side area, for a height adjustment of the steering wheel, in a height-adjustable manner relative to a vehicle-fixed console by means of an adjusting device, and which, in a steering-gear-side area, is swivellably disposed on the vehicle-fixed console by means of a compensating bearing.
Such a steering arrangement for a motor vehicle is known from German Patent Document DE 195 12 809 A1. In order to achieve a height adjustment of a steering wheel of the steering arrangement, a steering column tube of the steering arrangement is held in a steering-wheel side and thusxe2x80x94relative to the normal driving directionxe2x80x94rear area so that it can be vertically displaced by means of a manual adjusting device. On the front side and thus facing a steering gear of the steering arrangement, the steering column tube is held on a vehicle-fixed console by means of a compensating bearing. The compensating bearing has a ring which reaches around the steering column tube and which, viewed radially, has an elastically flexible design and is positioned inside a ring flange fixedly screwed to the vehicle. This front-side area forms the swivel bearing of the steering column tube in order to be able to achieve the height adjustment of the steering column tube by means of the rear-side adjusting device.
It is an object of the invention to provide a steering arrangement of the initially mentioned type which permits by means of simple devices a height adjustment as well as a longitudinal adjustment of a steering wheel of the steering arrangement.
This object is achieved in that the steering column tube is additionally longitudinally adjustably held by means of the adjusting device, and in that the compensating bearing is formed by a single suspension point eccentrically applied to the steering column tube, which suspension point defines the swivelling axis for the height adjustment of the steering column tube and which, in the longitudinal direction of the steering column tube, has degrees of freedom for a displaceability of the steering column tube. As a result, in addition to a height adjustability of the steering wheel, a longitudinal adjustability is achieved in a simple manner. The compensating bearing has an extreme simple and compact construction. By means of the eccentric arrangement of only one suspension point, which is situated above a steering spindle disposed on the steering column tube, an extremely simple holding device of the steering column tube is achieved which requires only little space. The longitudinal mobility of the steering column tube in the area of the suspension point by means of the degrees of freedom is preferably adapted to the longitudinal mobility of the steering column tube defined by means of the adjusting device.
As a further development of the invention, the steering column tube has a profile section eccentrically offset to the outside, which is provided with a longitudinal slot aligned in the longitudinal direction of the steering column tube, and the longitudinal slot is penetrated by a bearing pin aligned radially to a longitudinal axis of the steering column tube and serving as the suspension point, which bearing pin is supported by means of a head area on the interior side at the profile section and which is held under spring tension on the vehicle-fixed console. The positioning of the bearing pin prestressed by spring force permits a play-free bearing of the steering column tube independently of the respectively adjusted swivelling position As a result of the integration of the suspension point in a profile section in one piece with the steering column tube, an extremely robust construction is achieved.
In a further development of the invention, the profile section is supported without play on opposite sides of the longitudinal slot by lateral supporting sections of the vehicle-fixed console in the transverse direction of the vehicle. As a result of the lateral support, an increased lateral stability is achieved, whereby lateral forces on the bearing pins are avoided.
As a further development of the invention, the supporting sections of the console are designed to be spherical relative to the profile section of the steering column tube. These round contours of the supporting sections adjoining the profile section of the steering column tube on the exterior side and the interior side ensure play-free kinematics in the case of corresponding adjusting movements.
As a further development of the invention, the vehicle-fixed console has a hollow chamber section for receiving the bearing pin, in which hollow chamber section the spring arrangement is positioned for the play-free support of the bearing pin. As a result, a secure protection of the suspension point is achieved against loads from the outside. In addition, the supporting sections are advantageously connected with the hollow chamber section.
In a further development of the invention, the steering-column-side and console-side sections which come in contact with one another in the area of the suspension point have a slide coating. This reduces the friction between the corresponding sections. Teflon coatings are advantageously provided.
Further advantages and characteristics of the invention are found in the claims as well as in the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention which are illustrated by means of the drawings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.